I have a PLC that will be monitoring and controlling 12 sensors in the country Nicaragua (which has no cell, telephone, or internet services). Satellite is my only option.

I want to do some kind of wake up call to the PLC via satellite to download data from PLC datalog. Anyone know of what kind of satellite service/ equipment to do this. The transmission is from United States to Nicaragua. I can do the PLC program but unsure of the satellite communications. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you, bruce

Cheap, simple, and off the shelve satellite stuff I need. thanks

 

This is going to be interesting. Use of satellite services in our part of the world (India) is tightly regulated. You need to have all sorts of clearances in place from Government organizations before you can put up any sort of VSAT setup. Nowadays vendors are licensed by the government to carry out installations, but siting of dishes and all are still subject to clearances.

'Googling' provides a number of VSAT service providers. Telefonica, TS2 etc. You can use VSAT internet service if you are feeling adventurous or a VPN would be a better option.

Regards,

Tomy Zacharia

 

Hello,

The Digi has satellite modems working on ORBCOM satellite network.
Regards

Andrzej
www.modbus.pl

 

Hi Bruce,

You can have internet access in many Nicaragua cities by using a 3G cellular network via Movistar or Claro.

As you should know, you just need to buy a 3G USB Modem and a router able to work with this technology (e.g. D-Link model DIR-412) to connect to your PLC via TCP/IP using an ethernet cable.

Here you can find out the areas where Movistar and Claro give internet access via 3G:

- http://www.movistar.com.ni/Personas/Internet/Mapa.aspx

- http://www.claro.com.ni/Internet/Turbonett_Movil_3G/Cobertura.aspx

Of course, if there is no cellular coverage where your PLC is in Nicaragua, the satellite service is the way.

I hope it helps.

Best regards.

Saludos desde Venezuela.

Gustavo A. Valero P

 

Hi Bruce,

I'm coming here a little late to the party!

Just wanted to know if you found a satellite solution?
If not contact me at [email protected]. I have several service providers that can provide the satellite connection you need for your SCADA PLC's.

 

Bruce,

Later yet, but just wanted you to know there is a modem in the market that uses double sim for 2 different internet service providers (use of 3G, EDGE, GPRS, GSM), and if any of those fail then it also has a satellite modem for communication. It is able to use ultra low power and wakes up the PLC and itself when needed or programmed to... it can communicate with PLC as it speaks different protocols as modbus, dnp3, DSML/COSEM, HEXASCII and others so it knows if there is an alarm situation in the PLC and it initiates the call in alarm to the Scada system. Plenty of digital and analog inputs and outputs as well as interfaces as Ethernet, I2C, usb, serial rs232, rs485, etc. We use them for mission critical telemetry and automation sites. It might help you.